The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-06-04
AN AMERICAN PALACE.
Description of the Interior OF a House
Just Built in New York.
boston Transcript

boston Transcript
There has been lately completeu III new
YORK building which resembles small
palace, not so much in its outward aspect,
which is we'll enough, simple ana oignihed
In design, as in its interior. The architect,
Mr.. Richard NJ. Hunt, was evidently Of
opinion that the theory OF furnishing the
inside of the platter is a good one Inc
facade isl of red brick and gray stohe' ana is
OF handsome. unostentatious ueSisn' Inc
house stands within block OF Centrai Fark,
and from some of the windows ghmpses are
to be had of the trees and Towering shrubs
in which that part of the park is 80 rich'
Entering the front door one hnds o1les sell
In hall of truly beautiful proportlons. 10
those who are possessed of more acute near
ing than vision the first sensation on en- Ter
ing the hall is of sound; a soft, rythm lie
measure falls upon the ear which seems t.
put an Unreasonable distance between the
busy outside world and the soft-hued lnte-
rier: The hurried heart-beats OF that
mighty life of New York siacken their
speed, alter their time. This cannot be
New York. The mat which lay before the
front door must have been the Tying carpet
OF the story-book, and 1t has Dorne us away
from the fevered existence OF the most re-
lentless city the earth has ever known to
some far peaceful land, where the NE cur
rent pulses as gently and unsteady as
the water ..splasnes from those mar
BILE fountains into the wide basin,
surrounded by growing water plants,
The fountain is slightly raised from Io9a the
branches, leading to the upper story. The
wall on this side is inlaid with Persian and
and Spanish tiles of many colors, the prevail
ing tint being of that soft. deep green-blue,
like those famous tiles in the mosque OF ST.
Sophia in Constantinople. The remaining
sides of the hall are hung in old tSpanish
leather, which forms the best possible back
ground for the three great pictures, which
are the most precious things the. house con-
tains,-portraits, all of them OF personages
great in their day and generation, no doubt.
They have a princely air, but to-day they are
of very little consequence to anybody save
for the fact that they were painted by the
three great masters, Vandyke, Rembrandt,
ValesqueZ. The pictures hang side by side,
the Vandyke in the middle. the Hollander
and the Spaniard on either side. The mid
die canvas is the largest, being life-size,
full length picture of young man, standing
with his hand resting upon dog. 1t is as
good an example of Vandyke's work as it is
possible to have. high up over the stair
way is large picture by Villegas, one Of
the greatest of the Spaniards of to-day.
1t represents Venetian page in gorgeous
medieval dress, and is study for the great
work, which is, it is said, to be first shown
to the world at the Paris Exposition in 1888.
If one may judge the whole by this sugges-
ton of part, it will be a glorious picture.
Leaving the hall and passing to the left, one
enters the japanese room through sliding
doors in which are set richly inlaid panels.
From the centre of the ceiling hangs the
bronze bell from some temple of Buddha.
The walls are hung with dull rose-colored
material of the nature of velvet, richly en-
Drn0nrp1 with n0npQiyohlQ dQciOD
The fireplace is labyrinth of dragons carved
in light mahogany. On one side of 1t there
Is let into the wall stained glass window,
through which the light pours, clarifying the
All the furniture, hangings and carpets carry
out the nationality of the room, subdued to
meet the requirements of life In an Ameri-
can household. The walls are lined with
cabinets, containing rare and beautiful
curios, lacquers, pottery, porcelain, ivory.
crystal, brenze-all the mediums through
which the artist people give expression to
their love of beauty and their knowledge Of
art. From this corner Of Japan one passes
into the dining room, which is hung in old
pieces of china and silver are seen to great
| advantage.
To the right of the main hall is the Greek
room, quite classic in its design and proper
tons. Here are marbles sculptured in high
relief. some busts and many beautiful paint
ings; best OF all, a quaint old picture OF a
Madonna and Child by Van Eyck
Leaving the lower story we pass up the
stairway to the gallery at the first landing,
which runs about the hall. whose height is
that of the whole house, From here we
have view of a cast of that masterpiece of
Luca della Robbia's altar piece Of THE
| Madonna and Child, Surrounded by An
| gels" the original Of which was presented
| to the Metropolitan Museum by the owner of
| the house under description.
From this gallery lead the sleeping apart
ments and the more familiar living rooms.
| There is one little boudoir which particu-
| larly merits description. 1t is a small, inti-
mate sort of room, where one Immediately
| feelslat home. The walls are panelled In
wood, and all over them, at irregular dis
| pictures, which do not require distance or a
| peculiar light TO be appreciated; they are OF
every school and subject, and bear the sigma
| lures of the artists of many nations Best
Of them all is long narrow landscape OF
| Swain Gifford's, showing q certain parcel OF
ground which no one who has ever been In
| that picturesque region near the Paradise
Rocks in Newport can fail to recognize.
Here is a woman's writing desk, with all
the necessary parphernalia of silver ink
stand, taper holder, seal. portfolio, etc., the
| exquisite outfit ola writer whose labors with
the pen are in the interests only Of friend.
| ship and society.
From the boudoir where we sat for a few
minutes, breathing in its refined luxury as ii
to fortify our lungs against the crude atmos.
| phere Of our hotel, we made our way to the
| little chamber, which was realization oil
| the ideal maidenN room. In shape it was
hexagonal, lighted by round windows. The
| walls were hung in soft blue. and little
Cupids smiled down from them. The bed
writing desk, toilet table, and the book
| shelves, holding the small bedroom library
were all of white and gold. Through half
| nnened door q glimnSe WAS lad of the hath